This document is comprised of the two 2000 issues of a biannually-published journal featuring research studies, theoretical essays, and classroom practice articles about the development and education of kindergarten children as well as occasional articles concerning preschool and the early primary grades. The spring 2000 issue contains the…

One educational innovation that is having a widespread and disproportionate impact on the gap in academic achievement between African-American and Latino children and their White peers is Success for All (SFA), a comprehensive reform model for elementary schools piloted in Baltimore in 1987. SFA, a whole-school reform model that focuses primarily…

This paper provides an overview of the Carbo Reading Styles Program (RSP), a comprehensive reading program that applies learning styles concepts to reading. The program uses themes, activities, and literature to help improve student performance across all subject areas. Main components of RSP include: a variety of instructional strategies to…

This paper provides an overview of Direct Instruction, an intensive instructional method for grades K-6 based on the theory that learning can be greatly accelerated if instructional presentations are clear, rule out likely misinterpretations and facilitate generalizations. Over 50 instructional programs have been developed based on this…

This paper provides an overview of Reading Recovery, a preventative one-on-one tutoring program that targets first-grade students whose reading skills place them in the lowest 10-20% at their school. First implemented in the United States in 1986, by 1995-96, the program was being used by over 9,000 schools in 2,940 districts. Key components of…

This paper describes a first-year English-as-foreign-language junior college reading course in Japan that utilized a combination of whole class instruction and cooperative learning techniques to encourage group discussion and language skill development. Students were randomly divided into groups of eight--a group which became the students' home…

Despite several years of English language instruction, most Japanese students remain unable to produce nor comprehend more than rudimentary English. In order to overcome this problem, students must be motivated to participate in tasks designed to get them to use English communicatively--a difficult task in a country where students typically remain…

This comprehensive handbook focuses on literacy issues in grades 4-9. It is a reference guide that covers everything from the role of the principal and the characteristics of the learners to teaching the gifted and motivating the reluctant learner. Chapters offer an array of examples of student work, classroom vignettes, sample lessons, and…

Sharing the wisdom of educators throughout Colorado in implementing the Colorado Basic Literacy Act, this book is intended to be a practical complement to teachers' repertoire. It offers ideas for immediate implementation, along with citations of current research and references, and represents the best ways to respond to the needs of struggling…

In 1994, the Student Assessment was administered to over 12,000 vocational completers at 197 new High Schools that Work (HSTW) sites. Findings indicated that career-bound students at these sites trailed academic students nationwide in reading. Teachers in all vocational programs needed to pay more attention to reading. Career-bound females scored…

Through this lesson, teachers can use children's nonfiction books and the Internet to help their students develop accurate, substantive information about Native American people in the present day. During one 50-minute session, students will: participate in critical discussions about their knowledge of Native Americans; work cooperatively in small…

This report provides an analysis and discussion of the participation and performance of eighth-grade students with disabilities on the 1996, 1997, and 1998 Minnesota Basic Standards Tests in Reading and Math. The data show significant increases in participation of students with and without disabilities. In particular, participation of students…

This study describes an approach for enhancing reading strategies through the use of technology for improving reading comprehension and vocabulary. The targeted population consisted of middle school students in a growing low to middle class community, located in central Illinois. The problem of declining reading scores was evidenced in data…

This digest examines reading approaches, identifies characteristics of fluent readers, and makes suggestions for developing reading instruction for adult English language learners. The reading instruction methods described include the phonics, psycholinguistic, interactive, and critical literacy approaches. Fluent readers are defined as those who…

Volume 4 of "Northwest Education" contains four issues. Each issue has a theme and typically consists of an opening review article on current trends and research related to the theme, followed by articles on exemplary schools or programs in the Northwest, promising practices, outstanding teachers, or suggestions for program…